It has been one year since Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger declared a state of emergency, in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On April 6, the mayor issued a statement encouraging Sudburians to continue their vigilance in protecting themselves and their loved ones.
Full text of the mayor's statement is as follows:
Friends and fellow residents,
One year ago today, after careful consideration and conversations with the Medical Officer of Health, other members of Council and local leaders, I declared a State of Emergency for Greater Sudbury. That declaration acknowledged the severity of the situation we found ourselves in due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was intended to allow for a quicker response to changing local circumstances.
I don’t think any of us could have imagined that we would still be fighting this pandemic a year later – and we certainly could not have imagined that we would now be seeing some of the highest case counts since the pandemic began.
We still have a number of active outbreaks in various facilities in our community, including two new outbreaks this weekend. And sadly, since my last message on March 30, we have lost two more members of our community to this virus. My heartfelt condolences to the friends and family members of those two individuals. I am so sorry for your loss.
The past year has been an incredible test of our collective resilience. It has been difficult and stressful. But the ongoing rollout of vaccinations in our community is a sign of hope for better times ahead. We are seeing a high uptake of the vaccine by those who are eligible, and I want to thank you for doing your part.
I was thrilled to receive my first dose of the vaccine over the long weekend and look forward to the second dose when the time comes. If you know others who are eligible and haven’t yet booked an appointment, please encourage them to do so. It’s easier than ever with the new online booking system.
Again, please remember that the majority of our community has not yet been vaccinated. So let’s continue to be vigilant and make smart decisions to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Stay home, stay safe, stay strong.
Mayor Brian Bigger
